Supernatural Experiences May Boost Religious Giving

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People who report having supernatural experiences — such as being
healed, speaking in tongues or hearing God's voice — are more
likely to give money to religious organizations, and the more
religious certainty people have, the more they are willing to
give, according to new research.

The study's author, Katie Corcoran, a postdoctoral fellow in
Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion, based her research on
social exchange theory, which assumes that individuals will pick
the option that will benefit them most when faced with a business
decision, whether buying a something on eBay or choosing a
restaurant.

Factors like trust, reputation and familiarity typically increase
the likelihood of a transaction. And there are parallels to how
these exchanges play out in the religious arena, Corcoran said.
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"You can't empirically verify the
existence of God, but mystical experiences are believed to be
empirical signs of God, of having some sort of interaction with
the divine," Corcoran explained in a statement "For some people,
that can be a conscious exchange, for others an unconscious one.
If you think God exists, you're more likely to give."

Corcoran looked at two surveys (one from 1988 and one from 2007)
in which respondents answered questions about how much they gave
to religious organizations and their religious experiences. She
found that those who gave to religious organizations were more
likely to claim they had a
supernatural experience. Some said they had been called by
God to do something; others said they were protected from harm by
a guardian angel; still others said they witnessed a miraculous
healing.

One factor that could influence religious giving is whether or
not a person belongs to a "high tension" congregation. These
religious organizations, which include certain evangelical
Protestant Christian groups, have values that tend to conflict
with those of mainstream society.

Previous research shows that evangelicals give more of their
income than mainline Protestants and Catholics, Corcoran noted,
and her study suggests evangelicals have less religious doubt
than other people, which increases their giving.

"If you don't believe in Heaven — or don't believe you're going
there — why would you do things the church says you should, like
giving?" On the other hand, "if you believe, giving is a natural
by-product," Corcoran explained in a statement. Her research was
detailed in the journal Rationality and Society.

Other work has tried to explain how belief in mystical
experiences affects individuals' lives. One study linked belief
in the supernatural to a phenomenon known as
pareidolia, in which people see faces in inanimate objects,
such as toast and the surface of the moon. Earlier research found
that
loneliness might breed a belief in the supernatural.